It is well known that stair treads may wear out. Rather than replacing an entire staircase, or going to the significant trouble of removing the existing worn tread to permit complete replacement, it is also known to cover over the treads of a worn staircase with a new material, whether in the nature of a carpet, such as a stair runner, or a new surface. The new surface is often termed a “false tread”, namely a new tread that covers over an existing worn tread. An example of a false tread apparatus is shown in US patent publication US 2008/0271390 of Lopez, published Nov. 6, 2008.